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Jane Austen fans will be in for a treat, with new ITV drama Lost In Austen.

The show, which follows a series of Jane Austen dramas on the channel, features a fan of Pride And Prejudice who suddenly gets transported back to the world of Jane Austen’s novel.

ITV’s director of television Simon Shaps denied that the channel was copying the format of BBC show Life On Mars, which features a time-travelling detective.

The broadcaster is also bringing the Sunday night show The Royal 40 years into the future with a new daytime series.

And the channel will be returning to its acclaimed documentary, Malcolm And Barbara, which was broadcast in 1999.

Film-maker Paul Watson has returned to the couple to catch-up on their lives, which were turned upside down when Malcolm developed Alzheimer’s at the age of 51.

Speaking at today’s spring and summer season launch, Mr Shaps said of the decision to axe Kate Thornton and Louis Walsh from the X Factor: “We are always looking at ways of making the show bigger and better and a bit more surprising.”

He compared the need to change faces on the show with the turnover on Coronation Street, adding: “As a network we have never stood still.”

He added of ITV1’s output: “In previous years we have been a little bit too preoccupied with what other channels are doing.”